Editorial: Become a mentor: Attend Saturday's recruitment fair

CHRONICLE FILE PHOTOA high school mentor jokes with an elementary student while helping him with math homework. A mentor recruitment fair is planned Saturday in Muskegon.

A sense of hope.

That's the most important thing a community can provide for its young people. The comment came from Christine Robere, president of United Way of the Lakeshore, during a recent meeting with the Chronicle Editorial Board. But it's one that has been echoed by leaders of helping agencies throughout Muskegon County.

If children have a sense of hope, going to school becomes important. Completing homework and participating in after school activities is more inviting. Staying healthy and out of trouble is easier.

If students believe attending college or getting training for a license or a certificate is something their family and community will help them achieve, it becomes doable.

If they think that someone else believes in their dream, it becomes possible.

So how can a community provide this all important gift, a sense of hope?

One way is to participate in the Mentor Recruitment Fair this Saturday. Sponsored by the Muskegon County Mentoring Collaborative, the noon-4 p.m. event at Embrace Muskegon, 1050 W. Southern at the Ecclesia Church in the Nims Neighborhood, is designed to connect volunteers with the many mentoring opportunities available.

The collaborative is made up of 10 agencies representing such well-known organizations as Big Brothers Big Sisters of the Lakeshore, Webster House, West Michigan Therapy and Holton Community Center to newer groups such as GBS Community Outreach, itself a coalition of 11 area churches in the General Baptist State Convention of Michigan, and Jay Jay's Skate Park.

As a collaborative, the groups is trying to ensure that Muskegon youth get the guidance and support they need. The mentoring opportunities are as broad as the groups in the collaborative, ranging from the traditional tutoring to outdoor sports activities.

According to Susan Fenton of Muskegon MSU Extension, and a contact for the event, all a volunteer has to do is tell the recruitment fair workers a little about themselves and they'll be guided to a mentoring position that fits their needs, talents and time commitment. It's the first time the collaborative has tried this approach to recruiting mentors. Those who can't attend the mentor fair can learn more at the website, mentormuskegon.org.

Usually being a mentor means agreeing to a yearlong commitment of spending a few hours a week with a student. Sometimes the partnerships expand to several years or even lifelong relationships. But mostly what happens is two people get together and plan the future, whether it’s completing homework for the next day or filling out a college application form.

There's no doubt mentors can make a difference. A Pew Public/Private Ventures Study found that after 18 months with mentors, students were:

• 46 percent less likely to use illegal drugs.

• 27 percent less likely to use alcohol.

• 37 percent less likely to skip class.

• 53 percent less likely to skip school.

• 33 percent less likely to hit someone.

These benefits don't stop with the student, the community is a recipient as well. A study by a Princeton economics and public affairs professor found that every high school dropout costs society about $260,000 over his or her lifetime because of the need for government assistance or moving in and out of the prison system. Dropouts also cost society in the loss of purchasing power, ability to pay taxes and work productivity. The nation’s current graduation rate is about 70 percent.